Power seat won't move back NOT GEAR/CAP! (6 Viewers)

[FJ40JOHN]

Passenger seat stopped moving backwards. Per the standard advice, I ordered the Gamiviti parts and pulled the seat over the weekend. It has been rebuilt recently as the grease was all fresh and someone had definitely played with some of the hardware down there.

Motor spins fine forward, but the switch does nothing (no click/whir/smoke) when engaged to move back. Gears/caps are fine. Replacement motor is about $450, so any suggestions that might help me fix this outside of that?

Just saw another guy on the 80-series FB group that had the same issue.

 

[inkpot]

So....have you tested the switch? It might be a little cheaper?

 

[flintknapper]

So....have you tested the switch? It might be a little cheaper?

Hah,.....that's what I'm thinking.


Seriously...@FJ41JOHN jumper past the switch and apply 12 volts to each wire lead (one then the other) to establish that your DC motor and seat components are working OK. That would also indicate that the switch is the problem.

 

[Outbounders]

Interesting...I’m having the same problem. Just started. I’ll be following this to see what the issue ends up being.

 

[FJ40JOHN]

Hoping to do some electrical troubleshooting this week.

Interesting...I’m having the same problem. Just started. I’ll be following this to see what the issue ends up being.

Expensive...that's what it will end up being!

I'll post what I find.

 

[amgraham]

IIRC the seat motor works the same as a window motor.. The switch switches polarity to change direction. If the motor only has 2 terminals this is the case. Apply power and ground to the terminals and see if it moves. Then switch the power and ground and see if it moves the other way. If it does then it is most likely the switch.

A Power Probe makes this kind of testing super easy (it works like a traditional test light but also allows you to throw + or - on a terminal). I just had a window acting up recently (would go up but not down). Was able to elminate everything other than the switch in quick order. Replaced the switch and good to go.

 

[TomH]

My LX450 had the same problem. Tested the motor and it worked fine. I took the switch assembly apart and the electrical had gotten hot at some point and melted a little tab on the front/back control switch.

The way the switch works is there is a little tab that goes into a U-shaped piece of copper. When you push the switch one direction it makes contact and completes the circuit and spins the motor one direction. When you push the switch the other direction it makes contact and completes the circuit and spins the motor the opposite direction.

On mine I pulled a melted chunk off the tab on the switch and cleaned all the contact points. When I put it back together it worked although I have to push a little harder on the switch to get it to make contact.

 

[Tools R Us]

...
Motor spins fine forward, but the switch does nothing (no click/whir/smoke) when engaged to move back. ...

If a DC motor runs one way, it would be a very rare failure for it not to run the other way. Far more common would be a connection, switch or bind problem.

 

[FJ40JOHN]

Got the switch out this evening. Upon removing the snapped in plate above the switches, the switches fell out and so did the butterfly contacts.

Cleaned up the contacts (some were solid black) and tried reassembling. After a couple of tries, got the forward/backward operation to work.

Now my issue is that either the butterflies are bent, or the plastic retainer is damaged. I can't get them all back in, and when I did, another switch didn't work.

 

[FJ40JOHN]

Got most of them in. One of the switches had almost completely worn down the little knob that move the butterfly. Guessing that was the culprit.

Sacrificed butt elevation for forward/back movement.

I'll keep an eye out for used switches and grab one from a part out at some point.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[flintknapper]

Got most of them in. One of the switches had almost completely worn down the little knob that move the butterfly. Guessing that was the culprit.

Sacrificed butt elevation for forward/back movement.

I'll keep an eye out for used switches and grab one from a part out at some point.

Thanks for the help guys!

I wonder if you could just use a conducting grease (NOT dielectric) at the center contact (pivot point) to help hold the butterflies in place (while you put it back together) and make a good electrical connection there (just a dab). I don't really see that much damage to the plastic pivots.

MG Chemicals Carbon Conductive Grease, 80g Tube: Automotive Anti Seize Lubricants: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

MG Chemicals Carbon Conductive Grease, 80g Tube: Automotive Anti Seize Lubricants: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

 

[FJ40JOHN]

I wonder if you could just use a conducting grease (NOT dielectric) at the center contact (pivot point) to help hold the butterflies in place (while you put it back together) and make a good electrical connection there (just a dab). I don't really see that much damage to the plastic pivots.

MG Chemicals Carbon Conductive Grease, 80g Tube: Automotive Anti Seize Lubricants: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

MG Chemicals Carbon Conductive Grease, 80g Tube: Automotive Anti Seize Lubricants: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

Possibly. I ended up just working with the switch in a flat surface and making sure everything was in place before adding the cover plate.

It seems like these basically drop in and aren't really secured in any way.

What I need to find is a new table switch with the studs.